BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS - The Impossible Art of Being Female, by Tania Kindersley and Sarah Vine, covered everything from moral relativism to motherhood, feminism to face cream. This blog started as an extension of the book.
It has evolved into a personal blog by Tania Kindersley, featuring food, horses, dogs, politics, daily life, random musings, an awful lot of human condition, and occasional moments of whimsy.

Sunday, 22 December 2013

A shaggy dog story

A certain gentleman is in disgrace today.

There was first the interesting whodunnit: The Mystery of the Disappearing Rye Bread. (Clue: I live with a lurcher.) Then there was the snaffling of the joint of pork. Then there was the destroying of the third fabulously expensive retractable lead. There was also, don’t ask me how, the breaking of the sherry glasses. I adore a good fino and have special glasses for it. Or did.

There were the muddy pawprints all the way up the stairs. There was the escaping from the car, and the setting off of the alarm at inappropriate moments.

There was, bafflingly, the appropriation and chewing of a lovely Lulu Guinness purse I had bought someone for Christmas. Luckily, it was in a box. Now I have a quandary. Do I give the thing unboxed, which looks a bit peremptory and less than festive? Or do I give it boxed, and explain the interesting teeth marks in one corner?

There was the opening of and departing through EVERY SINGLE DOOR IN THE HOUSE. Actually, that is not quite true. There is one door he cannot open, because it has a round handle. But I occasionally catch him, up on his back legs, face intent, with each paw either side of the thing, trying to turn it. He does not care that he has no opposable thumbs. One day, he shall succeed.

There was the freaking out of the small visiting dog who arrived yesterday with the family. The freaking out took the form of – we are going to play my favourite game, Visiting Dog, which consists of me running round and round in circles at greyhound speed and jumping over you when you least expect it. Visiting Dog let out shrieks of such a high pitch that only bats could hear them.

There was the frightening of an entirely innocent and unsuspecting jogger, at the end of the lime avenue. I think the lycra was just too bright, and disapproval came in loud, furious barks. ‘Pay no attention, he’s very friendly,’ I yelled, helplessly, tearing to the rescue.

But disgrace never lasts, because every morning he goes and puts his head on my old mum’s knee and gazes at her with his eyes and makes her laugh and laugh. And then he looks at me, like this:

I think the chewed box, accompanied by the story, would be fun. I'd love receiving a gift so obviously vetted by a discerning member of the family. And as for the sherry glasses--possibly they were collateral damage in the visiting dog game?

Hah! only now you confess to Stanley's mischief (I can't believe he has suddenly turned into a rascal). Still, as you say, it only makes him more adorable though not as adorable as Red in her woolly winter coat, hope you have a wonderful Xmas, Rachel

I love dogs the way I love children... as long as they belong to other people, they're wonderful, but they'd need too much training to share my personal space. My sherry glasses are also dear to me, and thankfully my cats do not know how to open the cupboard above my stove. 8-)

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About Us

Tania Kindersley is a writer living in North-East Scotland with one big black dog. Sarah Vine is a writer and journalist living in North-West London with one husband, two children and one small brown dog.

Together, we wrote Backwards in High Heels - The Impossible Art of Being Female, which inspired us to start this blog.

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The Duchess - pseudonym for extremely grand dog. She died in 2011, but she is still with us in spirit.The Pigeon - pseudonym for absurdly soft dog.

Red the Mare - chestnut thoroughbred, who arrived in the spring of 2012, and took over the entire blog.

The Young Gentleman - fellow-about-the-place, once afraid of horses, whose sole ambition is now to ride Red the Mare.Virginia the Pig - a Gloucester Old Spot PigThe Compound - where we all live.The Hill - the view of which is photographed each day, for the record.

Guest stars:

The Older Brother.

The Younger Brother.

The Older Niece.

The Man in the Hat, Older Niece's other half.

The Man of Letters - literary mentor.

The Playwright - saver of sanity.

The Beloved Cousin - family in the south.

The Old Fella - husband of the Beloved Cousin. Horseman.

The Political Operative - vital for my political geekery.

The Entrepreneur - an entrepreneur, who wishes I had more submarines in my books.